Best Melatonin Supplement

Melatonin supplements are a form of hormone that is man made. It has been a big part of an alternative medicine treatment for people who suffer from insomnia. It has also been suggested that it can be used as a treatment for treating sleep disorders in people who have vision disabilities. The best melatonin supplement is time released and 99% or more pure melatonin. Our pick, Natrol Melatonin Time Release Tablets, is an excellent product that includes B6 with the melatonin for added benefit.

Melatonin Supplement Reviews

Melatonin is modeled after the hormone that is produced in the brain and helps regulate sleep and wake cycles. When you are looking for a high quality melatonin supplement you want to consider a few different things to ensure that the product you are purchasing is a good one. The purpose of this buyer’s guide is to make the decision making process simpler and more efficient.

With all of the benefits that melatonin can provide, it is a very good supplement to add to your daily routine. Use the information we have provided for you here along with the reviews we have done of three of the top melatonin supplements on the market and rest assured that you can choose the perfect melatonin supplement that will meet your needs.

1. Natrol

Best Overall Melatonin Supplement

5/5 Product Rating

Help battle sleeplessness with this quality melatonin supplement from Natrol that is drug free, 100% vegetarian and contains B6 which is known to relax and ease anxiety.

It’s made in the USA and is a valuable supplement to add to your diet which helps with sleep disorders by helping the body establish normal sleep patterns. This promotes a relaxing night’s sleep which improves your health as well.

The time release formula used in Natrol Melatonin Supplements offer users a controlled release over the course of 8 hours so you don’t have trouble staying asleep. This is not a sleeping pill but an aid to help you relax and unwind so you can fall asleep naturally and stay asleep.

There are no drugs in this product and it is non-habit forming as well. There are two bottles of 100 tablets each in this pack. Each tablet provides 5 mg of melatonin.

2. Source Naturals

Best Overall Melatonin Supplement – Runner Up

4.7/5 Product Rating

This unique form of melatonin is a sublingual dose that goes under the tongue. It is orange flavored and easy to take.

Sublingual melatonin gets absorbed right into the bloodstream through the blood vessels that are under the tongue and in the cheeks. It goes straight to the system, not passing through the liver first.

Source Naturals Melatonin contains no preservatives, sugar, egg, corn, gluten, starch, artificial flavors, salt, artificial colors, yeast, fragrances or dairy making it a safe product for those following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.

The product is a long time favorite of those who spend time on the road because it works so well and so fast.

3. Now

Best Budget Melatonin Supplement

4.6/5 Product Rating

NOW is a well known supplement company that is dedicated to providing quality products to their customers. Their melatonin is a high potency supplement that helps regular people’s sleep schedules and has also been shown to help defend the body against free radicals.

Another benefit from taking this supplement is that is supports activity in the neural tissue from the glutathione.

The vegetarian formula of this product allows it to be taken by those who follow a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. This product contains no wheat, yeast, soy, egg, milk, preservatives, shellfish, salt, sugar or starch.

Dosing is easy; just take one 5 mg vegetarian capsule about an hour before you want to go to bed with a glass of water and you’re all set.

– Linda Krantz

Summary of Our Top Picks
Melatonin has become a very popular supplement for those who want to sleep better. There might be some confusion as to the actual use of melatonin because many people think it is a sleeping pill but this is not the case at all. Melatonin supplements help the body relax and encourage natural falling asleep and staying asleep. It works very well when you can’t seem to unwind or shut off your brain enough to let yourself rest.

The three melatonin supplements we have reviewed above are excellent products that provide a high quality source of melatonin. The companies are reputable and known for their quality manufacturing so you can rest assured that the melatonin supplement you are purchasing will meet your needs and provide the results you want.

Melatonin Supplement Buying Guide

Melatonin is known for treating sleeplessness but there are many other things that it may be effective for as well. These include such problems as cluster headaches, reducing anxiety, reducing irritability and restlessness.

Forms of Melatonin

There are a few different forms that melatonin is available in. These include capsules, tablets, and liquid. These forms may be rapid release or time release depending on your preference. A rapid release formula dissolves quickly to increase how fast your body absorbs the melatonin.

These are very useful when it is super late and you need to fall asleep fast, or if you are away from home and have trouble getting comfortable enough to fall asleep, this formulation can be a real benefit to you.

Time released formulas are designed to not only help you fall asleep, the slow release formulation helps you stay asleep too. Time released melatonin formulas are designed to last over a 4-6 hour period, sometimes longer.

What to Look for When Purchasing Melatonin

There are several things that you want to look for when you are researching different types of melatonin on the market. We have listed these factors below to help guide you during your shopping experience.

Look for pharmacy grade melatonin. This is the most powerful grade you can get.

Make sure that the melatonin you are considering isn’t mixed with other ingredients, including vitamins as well. This minimizes problems with medications or any conditions you may have.

Look for melatonin that is 99% pure or more. The m ore pure the melatonin is the better it quality it is.

Purchase your melatonin from reputable companies that are known for their quality products.

Consider the time release varieties rather than the straight release.

Other Considerations to Think About

The Label is Important – you want to purchase a supplement that has a label that states all the information on it clearly. Because there are no guarantees when it comes to a product, you want to know exactly what you are getting. Reading the label and knowing HOW to read that label is very important to you getting the kind of quality product that you are looking for.

Determining Value – Value can be determined several ways. You don’t want to purchase a product simply because it is “cheap”. You get what you pay for in the supplement world, so look for the best quality supplement not just the cheapest. Remember that expensive doesn’t always mean high quality either. Look at all the factors before deciding and vet the products on several criteria.

Pharmacy Grade is Best – You want to purchase a melatonin supplement that is pharmacy grade, not natural, bovine or animal. Pharmacy grade is the best quality and has the most melatonin as well.

Time Release vs. Regular Release – of the two choices, look for time release varieties since they will also help you stay asleep rather than just helping you fall asleep. Many people can fall asleep with no problem but their quality of sleep is very poor because they keep waking up.

Pure Ingredients – You want to purchase a melatonin supplement that is as close to 100% pure as possible. Make sure the labels state no fillers, preservatives, or anything else that you don’t want. A good quality melatonin supplement doesn’t need sugars, wheat, soy, dairy and other things that can be routinely found in supplements so look for the ones that have left it out.

What is the Correct Dosage?

Melatonin dosage can be different for every person. You want to find the perfect dosage for you to maximize the benefits that you receive from the supplement and it also helps you avoid any side effects as well. There are no FDA standards when it comes to dosages for melatonin. The reason there is no FDA standards is due to the fact that it is classified as a dietary supplement which the FDA does not regulate.

There’s been plenty of research done to determine what an effective and safe dose of melatonin is. We have listed some guidelines below that you can look at to determine what the best dose for you will be. They have been listed according to several different criteria. Go over the list and see which one works the best for you. Initially it might be trial and error to find what works the best for your needs.

General Dosage guidelines

It is recommended to take your melatonin about an hour and a half before you want to go to bed. You will take anywhere from 1 milligram to 5 milligrams. Determine which to take based on the information provided below.

Enhancing recovery from workouts – If you are a heavy exerciser, you can take melatonin to help you have faster recovery as well as better quality sleep. For recovery dosages, plan on taking 2 to 5 milligrams.

Shifting your sleep cycle – If you want to shift your sleep schedule, melatonin can be taken to help you achieve this goal. A good range will be from ½ a milligram to 1 milligram each night.

Age matters – The higher your age the higher dose of melatonin you should take. This is simply due to the aging body systems that require more of the supplement to achieve the same result.

Weight matters – If your body weight is higher you will need to take more melatonin to achieve the same goal. Your dose will also be towards the higher end of the range.

The best way to find the right dosage for your needs is to start with a certain amount and then see how you do. If you fall asleep easily and stay asleep at the dose you have started with, you can be confident that it is the right dosage for you. If you do not notice any improvement in your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, up the dosage some and try again. If you experience any negative side effects like those listed below, reduce the amount of melatonin you are taking and see if there is an improvement.

Melatonin Side Effects

Following the dosage guidelines will reduce the chances of you having any negative side effects but you should be aware of what the side effects can be so you know what to look for. We’ve listed the potential side effects that can be caused from taking melatonin.

Common Side Effects – These side effects are minor but tend to be the ones reported the most often.

Sleep pattern changes

Headaches

Vivid dreams

Rare Side Effects – The following side effects are more serious in nature than the previous ones but they are also much rarer for people to have.

Itching

Moodiness

Heavy-headedness

Fast heart rate

Avoiding Side Effects

The best and simplest way to avoid experiencing side effects is to not take too much of the supplement. The idea is not to take as much as you can. You only need to take the amount you need to achieve the goals you have such as falling asleep faster, staying asleep, reduced anxiety, etc. If you are having those results at the dose you are at, there is no need to take more, it will not result in MORE positive results it can actually have the opposite effect.

Conclusion

Melatonin is a great supplement that helps people regain beneficial sleep cycles. It is sometimes misunderstood as to how it works, and they will try to use it as a sleeping pill but this is not what it is for. Melatonin will relax your body and mind and allow you to naturally fall asleep faster. If you choose the time release variety (and you should) it will also help your body and mind stay asleep.

The three top supplements featured above are all excellent products from terrific companies, so you can purchase one of them and not worry about purchasing a low quality product. If you want to take a look around be certain to follow the guidelines we provided in the buyer’s guide on what to look for when choosing a melatonin supplement.

These guidelines will ensure that you choose the melatonin choice that will meet your needs and desired outcome and provide you with a positive experience.

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Linda is a proud mom of four and loves researching products. She is our writer for the Baby and Health and Beauty categories. She was a nutritionist in the Chicago area for 12 years before joining the ThoroughlyReviewed team. When she's not researching she enjoys weekend getaways with her family at the lake.

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